Baekhyun frowned. “I knew it. My voice is not good.” He felt like his self-esteem boost down to negative.

 

He stood up and was about to walk out when Chanyeol stopped him by holding his wrist. Chanyeol’s other hand was covering the half of his face. His face was still red.

 

“Yah, you okay?” Baekhyun became worried all of a sudden. Chanyeol’s face is so red. He looks like he has a fever. He wants to put his hands on the giant’s forehead to check if has a fever but shook the thought away because he knows, if he do that, his heart will pound like crazy again.

 

“No…I mean…I’m okay. But don’t leave. You’re voice is not ugly, it was actually beautiful,” Their eyes met once again. “You really have a lovely voice, Baekhyun. Why do you keep on insisting that you’re not good in singing?”

 

Baekhyun bit the inside of his cheek. “Because I thought so. My mother kept on saying that I have a good voice but I never believed her.”

 

“Then you have to believe in me,” Chanyeol smiled. His hands slowly made its way to the small male’s hand. He intertwined their fingers like locking Baekhyun to him. “God, I’m really captivated with your voice.” He shut his eyes tightly.

 

Baekhyun’s stomach is spinning. He’s dizzy. As he watched Chanyeol with his eyes close and breathing slowly, his heart started to pound loudly in his chest.

 

No, this can’t be love. He repeated this spiel in his head over and over. It’s too early. I barely know him. No, hell no. I can’t…damn it!

 

“Lunch is ready!” Mrs. Park called out.

 

Chanyeol didn’t let go of his hand. His eyes were still close but there’s a small smile in his lips.

 

“Y-Yeol, your mother is calling out for us,” He tried to pull his hand away from Chanyeol but his grip was getting tighter sending bolts of electricity through his petite body. “Yah, let go. We need to get down there.”

 

Chanyeol finally opened his eyes. He stood up but he didn’t take his hand away from Baekhyun. Their body was so close they can touch each other. Chanyeol’s breath was fanning his face.

 

Baekhyun’s breath hitched. The word ‘personal space’ was thrown out the window. He can’t look at Chanyeol’s eyes because if he does, he will never look away.

 

“Why…no…y-you need to b-back off…” He stuttered.

 

“No, I won’t,” Chanyeol said firmly. He held Baekhyun’s chin and tilted his head back.

 

The moment their eyes met again, Baekhyun lose it all. All he can think about is how he badly wants to taste Chanyeol’s lips that are so close to his.

 

“ it, Byun Baekhyun!”

 

Chanyeol was about to crash his lips to the petite male when the door burst open. They both jumped out of shock and looked at the open door.

 

“Noona?!” Chanyeol shouted, perplexed.

 

His sister smirked at him. “If you want to kiss your boyfriend, do it in a special place, not in your ugly room,” She looked at Baekhyun and back to Chanyeol who’s glaring at her now. “Lunch is ready and Mom asked to fetch you guys.” She turned her back and started to walk away.

 

“Yah! Noona!”

 

He heard her laughter as if mocking him.

 

Baekhyun was left dumbfounded. They was about to kiss! If Chanyeol’s sister didn’t interrupt, Chanyeol might be the one who’ll be his first kiss.

 

“Baek, let’s go?” Chanyeol can’t look at him either.

 

The awkward atmosphere enveloped them.

 

“Uhh, yeah.”

 

Baekhyun walked out first followed by Chanyeol. They’re not talking ‘til they reach the kitchen. All eyes looked at them when they arrived. Baekhyun noticed that Mr. Park is here too.

 

“Oh! They’re here! Let’s eat!” Mrs. Park exclaimed.

 

Baekhyun sat together with Chanyeol. “T-Thank you for…the food.”

 

“So you’re Byun Baekhyun?” He looked up and saw Mr. Park smiling at him. He looked kind like Mrs. Park. He noticed that Chanyeol look more like his Mom than his Dad. “Thank you for keeping up with my son’s cheerful and happy-go-lucky behaviour.”

 

“Yes, I am, Sir,” he answered with an awkward smile. Everything about Byun Baekhyun is awkward. “D-Don’t worry, I’m getting used to it.”

 

“Baekhyun, huh? You’re prettier than a girl like me,” Chanyeol’s noona pouted.

 

Baekhyun almost choke. “I…I think you’re the prettiest here.”

 

Her face lightened. “Really?” Baekhyun nodded. “I like you. By the way, I’m Yura. Such to my dismay, that giant beside you is my brother. My stupid brother I might add.”

 

“Yah, Noona, don’t embarrass me in front of my friend.” Chanyeol shot a deadly look at his sister.

 

“Friend? Really?”

 

They both stiffened at their seats. They almost forgot that Chanyeol’s sister saw them about to kiss each other.

 

Chanyeol sighed. “It will be more than that someday.”

 

Baekhyun’s eyes widened. He looked at Chanyeol, expecting his smirk that indicates he’s just joking but all he can see is seriousness on Chanyeol’s face. He can’t swallow the food in his mouth. It seemed like it got stuck in his throat.

 

A deafening silence shrouded them.

 

Mrs. Park giggled to break the silence around them. “Let’s just eat.”

 

Baekhyun shut his eyes tightly. He looked at Mrs. Park who continued eating with a big smile on her face, at Mr. Park that drank the whole glass of water and at Yura who’s grinning at them.

 

All Baekhyun wanted was to go home and locked his self inside his room.

 

“Midget...are you...mad at me?” Chanyeol asked when Baekhyun was about to walk inside their front porch. He insisted in taking Baekhyun home.

 

Baekhyun stopped from walking. He kept his back facing Chanyeol because he can’t face the latter right now. His heart didn’t stop from beating so loud. This new feeling is scaring the out of him. This new feeling is taking him to the deepest part of hell. This new feeling is making him feel good and at the same time, bad. It’s making him insane.

 

“No, I’m not mad at you.” I’m mad at myself.

 

“But I feel it,” Chanyeol combed his hand through his hair. “Look, sorry if I made a move on you. Maybe you’re thinking that I’m playing with you but Baek, I’m not. I know this is fast but I’m— ”

 

Baekhyun cut him off. “Chanyeol, stop. Don’t finish it. I...I don’t want to hear it.” He left Chanyeol without letting him say another word. He ran up to his room and like what he wanted, he locked his self inside.

 

He covered his face with his hand. He’s breathing heavily because he ran and also because of Chanyeol.

 

Why did you cut him off, Baekhyun?! He asked his self. I should have listened to it but I’m too scared to know what he’s about to say.

 

After hours of thinking about Park Chanyeol, he drifted off to sleep.

***

“Lu-ge!”

 

Luhan turned his head and found Xiumin running towards him. He smiled when he saw his new friend. “Finished practicing soccer?”

 

Xiumin nodded enthusiastically. He looked like a cute puppy with his brown fluffy hair. “Why don’t you join our team? I heard you play soccer when you’re in middle school.”

 

Luhan waved his hand. “Nah, I don’t have time for it now and besides I promised myself that I’ll focus on my studies from now on.”

 

The younger one bumped his shoulder to his hyung. “But it’s not bad to have fun once in a while. Come on, Lu-ge, join our team!”

 

Luhan just shook his head with a small smile in his lips. He’s tempted in Xiumin’s offer but he can’t play soccer. He’s not even sure if he’ll gonna play soccer again. He doesn’t hate that sport but there’s a huge memory etched in there. Painful memories kept coming back at him like a huge tide when he’s playing soccer. It’s hurting him big time.

 

“Ah, there are so many projects to do.” Luhan bumped his forehead in the table.

 

“Yeah, it’s quite troublesome,” Xiumin sat down beside him with a tray of foods in his hand. He put it at the top of the table with a soft thud. “But Lu-ge, you should join the team.”

 

Luhan glared at the latter. “How many times would I tell you that I don’t want to join the soccer team?”

 

Xiumin pouted. He picked the burger up and started to unwrap it. “I just want to play with you. I feel like you’re really good at soccer.”

 

He sighed. He knows the Xiumin will pester him about joining the soccer team ‘til he gives up. But no matter how many times Xiumin persuade him, he won’t join the soccer team and it’s final.

 

“I’m sorry, Minseok but I can’t.”

 

Xiumin didn’t talk about soccer again. When Luhan called him by his real name, it means that he’s serious. He always observed Luhan from afar before, when they’re still not friends.

 

Luhan started eating his food when he felt shiver down his spine. He felt like there’s someone staring at him, making dark holes at his back. He shook his head. Maybe it’s just his imagination. He let that slide. He continued eating and talking with Xiumin. And then he felt it again.

 

He slowly turned his head at his back and he saw Sehun sitting two tables away from his. The tall boy was shooting daggers at him using his eyes. He knitted his eyebrows.

 

“What is it, Lu-ge?” asked Xiumin.

 

Luhan smiled and shook his head. “N-Nothing.”

 

“Oh Sehun?”

 

Luhan’s eyes widened. “What do you mean—”

 

“Yah, Luhan.”

 

He gulped but the food in his throat seems to be stuck. He can’t swallow it anymore and he felt like he’s about to throw up. This is the first time Sehun called him by his name since the drunk call he got from him.

 

“W-Why?” He gripped his hand in his lap. He looked up at Sehun who’s looking at him intently.

 

“Let’s go.”

 

Sehun grabbed his hand and dragged him outside the cafeteria. He didn’t even have the chance to say goodbye to Xiumin who’s watching them as they walk away with a confusion written all over his face.

 

His heart was pounding so hard. He felt like he’s about to lose air in his system. As he watched Sehun, hurriedly walking away from all the people, he can’t help but to have hopes that everything between them will be okay just like when they’re still kids.

 

“Why did you bring me here?” He looked around him. He noticed that they’re in the abandoned building inside the campus.

 

Sehun looked at him. His eyes are full of anger and disgust. He slowly walked towards the latter and cornered him into the wall. He slammed his fist into the wall.

 

Luhan jumped in surprise. He’s scared of what will Sehun do. By looking at Sehun’s face, he knew that the boy he loved for years was gone. The realization that he can never bring back the old times hit him hard in the chest. He felt like his heart broke into millions of pieces.

 

“I can’t stand seeing you ing around,” He spat with disgust. “I don’t know why you’re here in Seoul. You should go back to the place where you belong, the filthy province we lived in years ago.”

 

Luhan’s tears flowed like a river from his eyes. “That filthy province you’re talking about is where you were born, Sehun. Don’t say it like it’s only me who belong there. You belong there, too.”

 

Sehun laughed. “Well, I don’t belong there anymore,” He looked at Luhan intently. “I hate seeing you.”

 

“Why do you hate me so much?” He sobbed. “I didn’t do anything wrong to you! Why did you change so much?”

 

“You didn’t do anything wrong?! Are you ing serious?!” He slammed his fist in the wall again. His hands started to bleed. “I wouldn’t be this angry if you didn’t do anything wrong! I wouldn’t have leaved the place where I lived in if it weren’t for you! This is all because of you! You little filthy !”

 

Luhan’s hand flew and it hit Sehun’s right cheek hard.

 

“You’re being unreasonable, Sehun. If I did anything wrong, tell me what it is and I’ll do everything to compensate!”

 

Sehun shook his head. “What you broke is not just a thing you can pay off or buy another for exchange,” He started to walk away. “If you want to know why I hate you so much then find out by yourself.”